Learning to Love
by PrentissRose
Summary: E/O oneshot! Elliot and Olivia have a nice little dance :) first songfic


**A/N: This is just an E/O oneshot that I thought of. Please leave a review! Characters are Dick Wolf's and the song is "Paradise by Coldplay!" Not mine obviously. **

It was a dark and stormy night. No, that was an understatement it was an absolutely horrible night with lightening and thunder flashing viciously outside in the cloudy sky beyond the safe haven in Olivia Benson's house. She liked storms. She admired the way they could bring fear to people yet be so beautiful at the same time with spectrums of light flashing across the sky like dancers and the low rumble of thunder like music. It made her feel less lonely as if the thunder and lightening were promising her love that was soon to come.

Tonight was different. Way different because she was here in the arms of Elliot Stabler listening to the soothing soundtrack of Coldplay gently streaming through the speakers in her living room. It didn't make sense to her right now how she'd ended up snuggling against his chiseled chest and why he was even agreeing to this. Fourteen years of work and neither one of them had made any clear indication that they wanted one and other even though they secretly wanted it every night since they'd been working together. It was something neither one of them thought would ever happen, but right now it seemed as if they were getting pretty close to it. They had barely said a word to one and other since Elliot had unexpectedly turned up at her door, asking to hang out even though it was well past midnight. She'd just gotten them beers and sat down on the couch beside him letting the music sweep over her senses bringing her to the conclusion that it reminded her of him.

Liv took a long slow sip of the beer and Elliot's arm formed a protective, warm barrier around her shoulders. It felt nice having someone this close to her that actually loved her and didn't just want sex. It was a relationship. She let the alcohol run down her throat leaving a stinging trail behind causing her to lick her lips getting the most out of it. Elliot watched her, happy on how content she looked taking in the warmth of his body as she casually sipped her beer and tried to focus on the gentle rhythm of the music that was starting to slow as the song ended. Then the gentle violin of _Paradise_ came on and a small smile formed on Elliot's lips. This song reminded him so much of Olivia. He shifted from beside her and she turned to face his electric blue eyes stirring with a sudden happiness.

"I'm guessing you like this song?" Olivia asked softly allowing her own smirk to graze over her lips. Elliot let out a breath of air and nodded slightly embarrassed she was able to pick up on his unnatural liking to the song.

"Will you dance with me?" The words tumbled out of Elliot's mouth before he could stop himself. Even after he scolded himself for not thinking, he didn't regret asking her one bit. Olivia's smile faltered a bit.

"I'm not the best dancer." She mumbled to him lowering her eyes to the floor of the living room, crossing her arms over her chest feeling self conscious all of a sudden. Elliot traced a finger gently down her upper arm to her elbow.

"Please, Liv." He said begging her in his mind to let him get closer to her and allow the music to take over the night and their bodies. Olivia sighed hearing the need in his voice and reluctantly nodded. A surge of happiness came back over him and he slipped his hand through her warm, toned arm. As he led her to the cleared area of her living room which was small but doable, he thought of how lucky he was to have her. Olivia was beautiful, but modest, vulnerable, but she maintained an intelligence all her own, kind, but she wasn't easily manipulated. She felt for victims because she could relate to them. Because she was damaged like them, but somehow she had managed to pick up the pieces and make a life for herself.

_When she was just a girl_  
_She expected the world_  
_But it flew away from her reach_  
_So she ran away in her sleep_

Elliot wrapped his arms securely around Olivia's waist as her body started to sway in time to the music. Her fingers were up toying with the short ends of his hair as her arms hung relaxed around his shoulders letting his body lead them around the room.

_Dreamed of para- para- paradise_  
_Para- para- paradise_  
_Para- para- paradise_

He felt her relax more and more as the song progressed into the storyline each of them were making up in their head. Elliot thought of Olivia, how as a girl she should've had a father and a mother that cared, but instead she got something that no one deserved and it wasn't love. He wanted her to know how much he loved her. Her body, her mind, her soul.

_When she was just a girl_  
_She expected the world_  
_But it flew away from her reach_  
_And the bullets catch in her teeth_

Olivia felt him press his hips against her's and she let her heavy eyelids close as her head came to a rest in the crook of his neck. She felt the stubble on his jaw as it tickled her nose. He smelled good like the cologne he wore everyday. She recognized it from the countless times they stood by each other, just talking.

_Life goes on_  
_It gets so heavy_  
_The wheel breaks the butterfly_  
_Every tear, a waterfall_  
_In the night, the stormy night_  
_She closed her eyes_  
_In the night, the stormy night_  
_Away she'd fly._

Then she thought of her mother. The countless times she thought she could escape the nightmare she was thrown into as a child. No love, no one to comfort her and to be there for her, except for herself. It brought the memories of the night her mother smashed the bottle against the wall back into her head. How Olivia kicked her sending her sprawling across the room. How she wanted to break free from the chains her mother had her intertwined in, how she needed an escape, and how she lost all hope after her mother assured her there was no such thing as true love. 'The world is full of bad people and you're one of them.' The feeling of tears brimming her eyes that night were brought forward into the present.

_And dreamed of para- para- paradise_  
_Para- para- paradise_  
_Para- para- paradise_  
_Whoa-oh-oh oh-oooh oh-oh-oh_

There was nowhere she could turn to even now. Except for Elliot. He'd been there for her through everything; the bad, the good, the crazy. It wasn't fair that he was stuck with her when he could be full on enjoying himself somewhere with a beautiful girl instead of here holding his impaired partner in his arms. Liv wanted to so badly pull away and tell him to leave and to stop playing the pity card, but she couldn't bring herself to it. So she tightened her grip around his shoulders pressing herself against him, the closest they'd ever gotten to each other.

_She dreamed of para- para- paradise_  
_Para- para- paradise_  
_Para- para- paradise_  
_Whoa-oh-oh oh-oooh oh-oh-oh._

Elliot smelled the shampoo in her hair. The coconut and vanilla flavors he'd savored for so many years getting purposely closer to her at the office just to memorize the effect that she and her various shampoos and perfumes had on him. When he felt her arms grip his shoulders tighter he let his hands travel down her small, perfect waist to her lower back. He felt her backbone poking through the thin fabric of her pajama shirt which happened to be an oversized NYPD shirt. He let his hands slowly slip under the hem of the cottony material feeling the smooth, vibrant warmth of her skin. His fingers began to gently caress the curve of her hips.

_La la la La_  
_La la la_

Olivia felt him touching her. The feeling of his fingers under her shirt sweeping them gently over her skin sent a shiver through her whole body. She didn't know what to think about this moment. It was making her second guess her mother's words that everyone was bad and that she was as guilty as anyone. Maybe she was. She didn't know and she doubted she ever would know.

_So lying underneath those stormy skies._  
_She said oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh._  
_I know the sun must set to rise._

Elliot felt the goosebumps forming on her arms and waist. He let his fingers move up her back tracing the length of her backbone up and down her spine. Her breathing in his neck quickened as she felt him skim the area where her invisible bra was supposed to be. He wanted her to feel good and to know that he wanted her more then he wanted anything in the entire world. And as childish and cliche that sounded, it was true. Because falling in love was a cliche thing.

_This could be para- para- paradise_  
_Para- para- paradise_  
_This could be para- para- paradise_  
_Whoa-oh-oh oh-oooh oh-oh-oh._

His strong hands traveled upward to her heaving ribcage. He felt her heart rate quicken rapidly against his chest and he too felt butterflies form deep within himself. He outlined each of her perfect rips that he felt through her radiating skin. One of his curious fingers skimmed the side of her breast accidentally and he silently wondered if he was going to fast.

_This could be para- para- paradise_  
_Para- para- paradise_  
_Could be para- para- paradise_  
_Whoa-oh-oh oh-oooh oh-oh-oh._

Olivia felt his finger dance over the sensitive flesh around her chest and she wanted so badly to tell him to kiss her, to love her, but she had to bite her lip in order for herself not to break down into tears. She was confused and so desperately wanted to know if this was love or if it was something he was using to get into her pants. Trust was something she had given to him long ago, but now as they explored all new feelings for one and other it didn't mean anything.

_This could be para- para- paradise_  
_Para- para- paradise_  
_Could be para- para- paradise_  
_Whoa-oh-oh oh-oooh oh-oh-oh._

Elliot felt something damp on his shoulder and the sniffling of Olivia. He lowered his hands from under her shirt and rested them back on her waist. Pulling his body slightly away from her's to look into her bloodshot eyes. Her lower lip was trembling and tears stained her gorgeous flushed cheeks.

It all happened then. He knew why she was crying. She had never fallen in love before and right now, being in the arms of someone so powerfully close to you, was overwhelming. He knew the abuse Olivia suffered and that it was hard, learning to love when you never were. But she was loved, by him. He couldn't stop himself as he brushed a fallen tear away from her smooth face. Then he moved lowered his lips onto hers. She was warm and welcoming, immediately opening up her mouth to let his tongue roam around her mouth as her hands clawed at his back. He pressed himself close to her again and let his hands travel up her back again to resume what they started.

_Oo-oo-oo, oo-oo-oo, oo-oo-oo_  
_Oo-oo-oo, oo-oo-oo, oo-oo-oo_

"I love you," Elliot whispered to her in a panted breath as they broke apart the longing kiss for a short second. Olivia looked into his amazing eyes.

"I love you too." She whispered. And she meant it.


End file.
